delighted, let the parent take it from him; and when he does so, let no consideration whatever make him restore it at that time. Then, at a considerable interval, perhaps a whole day is little enough, let the same thing be repeated. In the meantime, it must be carefully observed, that no attempt should be made to contradict the child in the intervals. Not the least appearance of opposition, if possible, should be found between the will of the parent and that of the child, except in those chosen cases when the parent must always prevail. Neither mother nor nurse should ever presume to condole with the child, or show any signs of displeasure at his being crossed; but, on the contrary, give every mark of approbation. This experiment, frequently repeated, will in a little time so perfectly habituate the child to yield to the parent whenever he interferes, that he will make no opposition. I can assure you from experience, having literally practised this method myself, that I never had a child of twelve months old but would suffer me to take any thing from him or her, without the least mark of anger or dissatisfaction, while they would not suffer any other to do so without the bitterest complaints."

Such experiments, if properly conducted, would gradually produce in children habits of obedience; but they require to be managed with judgment and prudence, and gradually extended from one thing to another, till absolute submission is produced; care, however, being taken that the child be not unnecessarily contradicted or irritated. The Rev. Mr. Cecil, in some of his writings, relates an experiment of this kind which he tried on his own daughter, a little girl of about three or four years old. She was standing one day before the fire, amusing herself with a string of beads, with which she appeared to be highly delighted. Her father approached her, and said, "What is this you are playing with, my little dear? "My beads, papa." "Show me these beads, my dear." She at once handed them to her father, who immediately threw them into the fire. "Now," said he, "let them remain there." She immediately began to cry. "You must not cry, my dear, but be quite contented." She then sat down on the floor, and amused herself with some other toys. About two or three days after this, he purchased another string of beads much more valuable and brilliant, which he immediately presented to her. She was much delighted with the appearance of the new set of beads. "Now," said her father, "I make a present of these to you, because you was a good girl, and gave me your beads when I asked them." She felt, in this case, that obedience and submission to her parent were attended with happy effects and would

be disposed, in her future conduct, to rely on his wisdom and affection. Children trained in this way, with firmness and affection, soon become happy in themselves, and a comfort to their parents; and those scoldings, contentions, and sounds of discord, so frequently heard in the family mansion, entirely prevented.

In order to establish complete authority, and secure obedience, the following rule must be invariably acted upon-that no command, either by word, look, or gesture, should be given, which is not intended to be enforced and obeyed. It is the rock on which most parents split, in infantile education, that, while they are almost incessantly giving commands to their children, they are not careful to see that they are punctually obeyed; and seem to consider the occasional violation of their injunctions, as a very trivial fault, or as a matter of course. There is no practice more common than this, and none more ruinous to the authority of parents, and to the best interests of their offspring. When a child is accustomed, by frequent repetitions, to counteract the will of his parent, a habit of insubordination is gradually induced, which sometimes grows to such a height, that neither entreaties, nor threats, nor corporal punishment, are sufficient to counteract its tendencies; and a sure foundation is laid for many future perplexities and sorrows. The rule, therefore, should be absolutethat every parental command ought to be enforced. And, in order to this, it is requisite that every command be reasonable-that a compliance with it produce no unnecessary pain or trouble to the child-that it be expressed in the words of kindness and affection-and that it ought never to be delivered in a spirit of passion or resentment. Reproof or correction given in a rage, and with words of fury, is always considered as the effect of weakness and of the want of self-command, and uniformly frustrates the purpose it was intended to subserve. "I have heard," says Dr. Witherspoon, "some persons often say, that they cannot correct their children unless they are angry; to whom I have usually answered, 'Then you ought not to correct them at all.' Every one would be sensible, that for a magistrate to discover an intemperate rage in pronouncing sentence against a criminal, would be highly indecent; and ought not parents to punish their children in the same dispassionate manner?"

One of the greatest obstacles in the way of acquiring complete authority, is the want of fortitude and perseverance, especially on

*This relation is not taken directly from Mr. Cecil's writings. If I recollect right, it was intended to illustrate the nature of faith, but it may likewise exemplify the benefits which flow from unreserved obedience to the commands of an affectionate parent.

the part of the mother. She is sometimes oppressed with anxieties and difficulties, busied with domestic affairs, or perhaps has a young infant at the breast that requires her chief attention, or strangers may have paid a visit to the family. Her older child becomes restless and fretful, and runs through the dwelling, disturbing every one with his cries. She tries to coax him with flattering promises; but it is of no avail. He is perhaps crying for something which she does not think proper to give. She at length scolds and threatens, and attempts to strike, which generally makes the child redouble his cries. Wearied out, at length, with his cries and tears, and anxious to attend to some necessary affairs, she allows herself to be vanquished, and submits to his desires. Sugar, jellies, or plumcakes, are supplied to pamper his depraved appetite, and put an end to his crying; and, being exhausted with screaming, in a short time he drops asleep. The same process is repeated, when similar circumstances occur. Now, it is admitted that there is a difficulty in such cases; but it is a difficulty which must be overcome, if we would not become slaves to our children, and render them disobedient and unhappy through life. Were a mother, for a few days, or weeks at most, to make a strong effort, and to sacrifice for a little her own ease, and even some urgent business, and never flinch from the object till complete submission be accomplished, she would soon gain the requisite ascendancy; and, having acquired it, it would save her from a multitude of troubles and perplexities, which must otherwise be felt during succeeding years-prevent the necessity of scolding, threatening, and whipping-and lay a sure foundation for domestic harmony and filial affection. But the longer she delays, the more difficult it will be to acquire the requisite ascendancy; and the mother who trifles with this important duty, from day to day, lays the foundation of many bitter regrets and selfreproaches-renders her children curses instead of blessingsand will, sooner or later, feel the effects of her misconduct, and behold her sin in her punishment.

The violation of parental authority, especially among the children of the lower ranks, is so common, that it ceases to excite wonder or surprise. One can scarcely walk the streets without seeing parental authority disregarded. A father is beheld with a whip or a stick in his hand, driving home his stubborn son, as if he were "a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke"-and a mother running after her child, with looks of fury and words of execration, seizing him by the shoulders, beating him with her fists, and dragging him along like a piece of lumber, while the little urchin is resisting with all his might, and bellowing

like an ox. A short time ago, I was passing along the suburb of a large town, when I beheld a child of about three years old amusing himself on the footpath before his dwelling. His mother approached the threshold, and called him in. "Come awa', Jamie, to the house, it's a cauld day." Jamie paid no attention to the command, but moved with the utmost deliberation to a greater distance. "Come awa'," says his mother a second time, "and I'll gie ye some good thing." James, however, marched on to a still greater distance. "Come back, Jamie," rejoined the mother, "and I'll gie ye an apple." James paused for a moment, and looked back with a kind of leer; but, recollecting, perhaps, that his mother had often promised, and failed in performing her promises, he set off with more speed than before. His mother now became vociferous, and bawled out, "Come back, you little villain, or I'll whip you, as sure's I'm alive." James, however, who appeared to have known his mother better than she knew herself, still marched on. The foolish mother now became furious, rushed after the child, and dragged him home like a squeaking pig, lamenting that her children were so stubborn and disobedient; and forgetting, in the meantime, that she herself was their instructor, and the cause of their obstinacy and disobedience. Children brought up in this manner are not only unhappy in themselves, but not unfrequently become pests in society, and particularly to the public instructors of youth, who find it extremely difficult, and sometimes next to impossible, to bring them under control and subordination to scholastic order and discipline-without which their progress in learning cannot be promoted.

Some children, even in the same family, are pliant and of tender feelings, and are easily brought under subjection by a judicious parent; while others are naturally proud, self-willed and obstinate. But even in the worst supposable cases, it is quite practicable, by firmness and prudent management, to bring the most stubborn under subjection. This may be illustrated from the following fact, extracted from an excellent little work, entitled "The Mother at Home, or the Principles of Maternal Duty familiarly Illustrated; by the Rev. John S. C. Abbot, of Worcester, America."*"A gentleman, a few years since, sitting by

* While I was writing the preceding paragraphs, this interesting little volume was put into my hands,-a volume which I would strongly recommend to the perusal of every parent. Its style is simple and perspicuous, its sentiments rational and pious, and are uniformly illustrated with a variety of appropriate examples taken from real life-so that the most ignorant and illiterate may easily enter into all the views and representations of the

his fireside one evening, with his family around him, took the spelling-book, and called upon one of his little sons to come and read. John was about four years old. He knew all the letters of the alphabet perfectly, but happened at that moment to be rather in a sullen humour, and was not at all disposed to gratify his father. Very reluctantly he came as he was bid; but when his father pointed to the first letter of the alphabet, and said, What letter is that, John?' he could get no answer. John looked upon the book, sulky and silent. My son,' said the father pleasantly, you know the letter A.' 'I cannot say A,' said John. You must,' said the father in a serious and decided tone;' what letter is that?' John refused to answer. The contest was now fairly commenced. John was wilful, and determined that he would not read. His father knew that it would be ruinous to his son to allow him to conquer; he felt that he must at all hazards subdue him. He took him into another room, and punished him." He then returned, and again showed John the letter; but John still refused to name it. The father again retired with his son, and punished him more severely. But it was unavailing. The stubborn child still refused to name the letter; and when told that it was A, declared that he would not say A. Again the father inflicted punishment as severely as he dared to do it, and still the child, with his whole frame in agitation, refused to yield. The father was suffering with most intense solicitude. He regretted exceedingly that he had been drawn into the contest. He had already punished his child with a severity which he feared to exceed; and yet the wilful sufferer stood before him, sobbing and trembling, but apparently as unyielding as a rock. I have often. heard that parent mention the acuteness of his feelings at that moment; his heart was bleeding at the pain which he had been compelled to inflict upon his son. He knew that the question was now to be settled, who should be master; and after his son had withstood so long and so much, he greatly feared the result.

author, and feel their propriety and force. Were the principles inculcated in this small volume universally recognised and acted upon, the aspect of the moral world would, ere long, undergo an important change, and a new generation would soon spring up, to renovate the world, and to hail the commencent of the millennial era. The amiable author himself appears to be an affectionate and "Grateful Son;" for, instead of attempting to curry favour with the great, by dedicating his work to the Earl of F. the Duchess of G. or the President of the United States, he very appropriately dedicates it to his "Father and Mother," of whom he speaks with affectionate re gard. The volume is very neatly got up, contains above 140 pages, pretty closely printed, and is sold, neatly bound, for only one shilling; so that it is within the reach of the poorest family.